Dewbakuk | 27 Jun 2004 4:23 p.m. PST |
Hi My wife is running a work team building exercise and they've decided that as one of the exercises, they will do egg box racers powered by elastic bands. Aparantly they found a website that gave the basics of making the engine. Unfortunately it didn't take it much further and they're out of time. I've been looking and I've found sites that show elastic band powered cars but not eggbox ones. Anyone know how to make this work? The problem is they can't use tools, otherwise it would be easy, they have; sticky tape two thicknesses of dowel wheels cotton reels straws matchsticks paper. Hope someone out there is a science or tech teacher. Cheers |
RexMcL | 28 Jun 2004 2:58 a.m. PST |
Could you just stick the parts from a standard car into the carton? Or you could cut a hole in the bottom of the carton and simply cover a regular car with it. |
Scurvy | 28 Jun 2004 7:41 a.m. PST |
Im sure the Italian airforce did some stuff with rubber band powered eggbox tanks in the late 30's and early 40's. |
Scurvy | 28 Jun 2004 7:41 a.m. PST |
gah sould of said italian army. gah and double gah |
Neotacha | 28 Jun 2004 8:09 a.m. PST |
No tools at all? Or can they use scissors or a hobby knife? |
Neotacha | 28 Jun 2004 8:10 a.m. PST |
Oh, and how many elastic bands? What size(s)? |
Connard Sage | 28 Jun 2004 8:43 a.m. PST |
Put an elastic band through the hole in the cotton reel, push a matchstick through one (open) end to secure it, push a piece of dowel through the other loop of elastic band at the other end of the cotton reel (make the dowel slightly longer than the diameter of the reel); wind up the elastic That`s your motor |
RockyRusso | 28 Jun 2004 9:46 a.m. PST |
Hi I fly rubber powered airplanes in competition...... The biggest problem with rubber is that it abrades against itself. Thus you need a lube for the rubber itself. If you drywind it, you only get 10% of the potential power. If you are allowed, spray it with "Son of a Gun" vinal protectant. If not allowed, just before use, use your salivia to thoroughly wet the rubber. Rocky Waiting for the cheap, obvious Trojan refrences. |
Dewbakuk | 28 Jun 2004 1:10 p.m. PST |
Thanks guys. Kawasaki, that's the method she had. Makes a good propelor but not much use at turning a wheel unless you want it to revolve around the box :) It happened today so is over now, but I'm still interested. |
GildasFacit  | 28 Jun 2004 1:42 p.m. PST |
Fix the cotton reel and let the dowel (which is fixed to the wheels) rotate. Tony H
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Scurvy | 29 Jun 2004 5:03 a.m. PST |
Help me out here Rocky. Trojan references went over my scone like a jet plane. |
Goldwyrm | 29 Jun 2004 5:27 a.m. PST |
@Scurvy- Rubber has regional connotations. Rocky was expecting Prophylactic jokes. Trojans is a brand of said product in lubricated and non-lubricated versions. I guess that slipped by you.. |
Dewbakuk | 29 Jun 2004 7:20 a.m. PST |
To put it simply, Trojan is the brand name for a type of Condom in the US. I only know this because they have just started marketing in the UK. The adverts are..... different, and only shown at night. @GildasFacit - For it to work the dowel is horizontal across the cotton reel. Which means it spins like a propelor as opposed to rotating like an axle. |
GildasFacit  | 29 Jun 2004 11:25 a.m. PST |
Fix cotton reel to chassis put dowel through hole in cotton reel fix one end of elastic/ rubber to cotton reel with a staple, same with other end to dowel Fit wheel at each end of dowel Wind up wheels and let go It works !! It's a damn sight easier if you can draw pictures !!! Tony H |